British police have confirmed a deadly assault at a synagogue in Manchester, which occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The attacker was subsequently neutralized by law enforcement officers, with two other individuals taken into custody related to the incident.
The assailant is reported to have driven his vehicle into a crowd before embarking on a stabbing spree, resulting in severe injuries to three additional people. The suspect’s death confirmation was delayed due to apprehensions that he may have been armed with an explosive device.
The New York Police Department is closely monitoring developments in Manchester, though no direct connection to New York City has been established. In the meantime, enhanced patrols around synagogues are being maintained in the city as a precautionary measure.
This incident comes amid a worrying surge in antisemitic incidents in the U.K., following an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza. The Community Security Trust, a British Jewish advocacy group, has reported over 1,500 incidents in the first half of this year alone, marking the second-highest number recorded in a year.
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, of Maidenhead Synagogue and head of the Rabbinic Court of Great Britain, has described this as the ‘worst nightmare’ for every Rabbi or Jewish person, especially due to the timing of the attack during a time of mass gathering on the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar.
Greater Manchester Police were alerted to the incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue by a member of the public who witnessed the terrifying event. Witnesses report a car being driven erratically towards pedestrians and a man embarking on a stabbing spree before officers intervened.
This raises important questions about the nature of the attack and the circumstances leading up to it. The police have utilized ‘Plato,’ a national code-word signaling a ‘marauding terror attack.’ However, it is important to note that this does not definitively categorize the incident as a terrorist attack.
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Both the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and King Charles III expressed their shock and condemnation of the incident, with the Prime Minister pledging to increase police presence at synagogues across the U.K. The significance of this should not be overlooked. This incident, occurring on the most sacred day for the Jewish community, adds layer of horror to an already dreadful act.